It's all about the lies.

Cleveland Indians provide details on What’s New for 2017 season at Progressive Field

Changes include energy-efficient lighting, free Wi-Fi for all fans, food options, Cleveland Clinic partnership and more

The American League Champion Cleveland Indians on Wednesday provided details about What’s New this season at Progressive Field, including an exclusive health care announcement, new LED lights, free Wi-Fi for all fans and more.

LED lights

This offseason, new LED lights were installed at Progressive Field. The new energy-efficient lights will be 20–30% brighter, which also will significantly reduce glare and shadows on the field.

Sustainability efforts to continue in 2017

The new LED lighting system is yet another piece of the club’s sustainability efforts. In 2016, the Indians diverted over 46% of total waste from area landfills and saved 407,000 kWh of energy. It is estimated that the addition of LED lights will increase the energy savings number by 70%.

Wi-Fi

Fans attending games at Progressive Field this season now can connect their wireless devices to free Wi-Fi. When looking to connect, fans should look for the network named IndiansWiFi.

Cleveland Clinic

The Cleveland Indians are happy to announce that Cleveland Clinic, the №2 ranked hospital in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report, is now the team’s exclusive healthcare provider. In addition to having a team of doctors dedicated to the care of Indians players, Cleveland Clinic will continue to provide access to care for fans at Progressive Field — as they have for the past 15 years.

Cleveland Clinic will be the presenting sponsor of Indians.com and the Indians Radio Network, and will also partner up with these Cleveland Indians Community Impact programs:

Kluber’s Kids (Corey Kluber)

Edwin’s Squad (Edwin Encarnacion)

Friends of Francona (Terry Francona)

Cleveland Indians Wives Association

Food/Beverage

Market Garden Brewery, located next door to West Side Market in Cleveland’s bustling Ohio City neighborhood, will serve its popular brews in section 133. Market Garden is the 13th local restaurant to be added to the ballpark’s roster, joining the likes of Melt Bar and Grilled, Barrio, Great Lakes Brewing Co. and more.

Plus, there will be a variety of new food options this season. A few of the new menu items available to all fans include:

Veal Parmesan Sliders (Available at Slider Dogs in Sec. 113, and Terrace Club): Hand crafted Veal Parmesan Sausage sliders from Cleveland-based Holiday Sausage, topped with marinara, parmesan snow & micro basil

Nano Slider Trio (Available at Market Garden Brewery, section 133): A trio of beef sliders made up of, the Nano slider with beer mustard, beer onions, pickles and American cheese; the Acid Trip with spicy mayo, cole slaw, pickled onions, cheddar cheese and a balsamic reduction; and the spicy slider with spicy mayo, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and poblanos.

Po’Man (Available at Great Lakes, section 107): Smoked Kielbasa, potato and cheese pierogis, sauerkraut and Dortmunder Gold Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard

Grilled Asian Salmon (Available in Terrace Club): Wasabi Foam, fried rice, baby bok choy

The Terrace Club is once again open to the public and seating times can be found on Indians.com; reservations can be made at OpenTable.com.

Suites

Eleven suites on the upper level down the third base line — from the Press Box to the Terrace Club — were remodeled into six new Pennant Party Suites. These newly flexible suites can accommodate groups ranging in size from 24 to 240.

Service

Something the Indians hope all fans will notice as they visit Progressive Field this year are the results of a significant effort the Tribe has undertaken to enhance the fan experience through exceptional customer service. Over the past few years, the Tribe has worked to ensure all employees are creating amazing memories for fans, by dedicating additional resources in the front office and gameday staff to customer service efforts. That effort has culminated this year with a greater presence throughout the ballpark of highly-trained staff, all working to provide exceptional service, including our new orange-shirted Ambassador team, whose primary job is to ensure that fans are having a great time.

Ballpark App presented by KeyBank

The Indians continue to encourage fans to manage their tickets conveniently and securely with the MLB.com Ballpark App presented by KeyBank. This year, digital ticket scans through the app will unlock exclusive giveaways and prizes for select fans. The app also gives fans direct access to Fan Services, concession stand menus and concourse maps — and offers new virtual reality videos for fans’ enjoyment. Plus, fans can skip the lines by using Progressive Field’s mobile-only gates.

Francisco Lindor is baseball's next big thing

7:30 AM ET

Jerry CrasnickESPN Senior Writer


FRANCISCO LINDOR REVEALED his stylish and hip side during the 2016 MLB postseason, when he entered the Progressive Field media room wearing a black fedora and two beaded necklaces while carrying a white leather backpack. The Cleveland Indians shortstop looked every bit the young star on a mission to put some flair back in the game.

A different side of Lindor -- the wise-beyond-his-years version -- made a surprise appearance a few days later.

Asked to recall his favorite player when he was growing up in Puerto Rico, Lindor leaned forward and rattled off the names of five middle infielders and explained precisely why they were so influential in shaping his approach. The shout-out was remarkably thoughtful given that Lindor was still a month shy of his 23rd birthday, and it helped round out the portrait of a player who brings a rare blend of old-school values and new-age sensibilities to the park each day.

"I liked Robbie Alomar because he seemed like he was going to impact the game in different ways,'' Lindor told reporters before Game 2 of the World Series. "Omar Vizquel. Derek Jeter. Jimmy Rollins. Barry Larkin. My dad and my cousin and brother always told me try to get something from everyone. Don't get stuck in one player. Just learn something from everyone.''

Lindor's diverse taste in role models has given his game a well-roundedness that wowed a national audience in October, when Cleveland eliminated Boston and Toronto before pushing the Chicago Cubs to the limit in the World Series. He played a sterling defensive shortstop and hit .310 in 15 postseason games to propel the Indians to within a victory of their first title since 1948.

Six months later, Lindor will try to use that October exposure as a springboard to a more prominent place in the game, where the biggest names dwell.

The nation got a glimpse of Francisco Lindor's star power during the 2016 postseason. But here's a scary thought: The Indians shortstop is still getting better. Jesse Rieser for ESPN

AS A BUDDING ambassador for baseball, Lindor is on speed dial when MLB needs a player to speak to kids as part of its RBI youth initiative. He will be featured prominently in MLB's 2017 "This Season on Baseball'' marketing campaign, and the national merchandise sales reflect his growing popularity. Lindor's jersey is the 15th-biggest seller in the game, and it might not be long until he ascends to Kris Bryant-Mike Trout-Clayton Kershaw territory.

"He's got a lot of positive energy about him,'' Cubs manager Joe Maddon said in October. "I love the way he interacts. It's good for the game. It's good for him. It's good for Cleveland. That's the kind of guy you need to attract young baseball fans. Not necessarily players, but fans. I think he's wonderful.''

"He's a boss on both sides of the ball. He is the perfect example of what you want a shortstop to be."
Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin on Francisco Lindor

Plenty of shortstops can field or hit, but very few can handle the burden of playing lockdown defense while batting third in the order for a contender at age 22. At the recent World Baseball Classic, Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez made a statement when he shifted Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, another superstar in the making, to third base to make room for Lindor.

One of Lindor's boyhood role models is on board for the long haul. Larkin, a 12-time All-Star with Cincinnati and one of 24 shortstops in the Hall of Fame, envisions Lindor as a lock to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases every year, and a good bet to hit 30 bombs as he gains experience and strength.

"He's a boss on both sides of the ball,'' Larkin says. "He is the perfect example of what you want a shortstop to be.''
Francisco Lindor's ability to put in the work required to put up big numbers for years to come endears him to old-school fans, while his new-age style could make him a face of the game. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

IF ANYONE IS qualified to serve as an authority on the topic of Lindor and his future, it's Larkin.

For the past three offseasons, Lindor has laid the foundation for improvement under Larkin's tutelage. Five days a week, from late December until mid-February, Lindor reports for duty with Carlos Gonzalez, Dee and Nick Gordon, and several other players at the Atlanta Braves' spring complex in Orlando, Florida, where Larkin organizes offseason workouts. Dee Gordon took enough pride in the group's shared sense of purpose to have T-shirts made with the inscription "B-Lark SS University'' on the front.

During the offseason baseball seminar, weightlifting and swings in the cage are only part of the curriculum. As the players begin stretching for the day ahead, Larkin gathers them in the dugout and talks about the mental side of the game. The goal is to prepare them for the inevitable lulls in the season when talent alone won't suffice.

"There are days when you aren't feeling good hittingwise,'' Larkin says, "so what mental adjustments do you make to try to get yourself through the day? When you hit five balls on the button and you don't have anything to show for it, do you change? What do you do? How do you combat that and prepare yourself?
Boxing, anyone?

Boxing is an optional part of the curriculum at B-Lark Shortstop University.

During Barry Larkin's playing career in Cincinnati, he incorporated boxing into his routine as a training tool. He found the sport was helpful in allowing him to be more "linear'' and less "rotational'' in his actions, and it required a discipline and focus that helped carry him through periods of fatigue.

Three years ago, Francisco Lindor went to Larkin's home gym in Florida and worked the heavy bag and threw endless combinations of punches into mitts. He's been an ardent boxing devotee ever since.

"It's all about endurance,'' Lindor says. "When you're tired, are you going to remember the combinations or just throw punches? You're going to be tired in June or October, but it doesn't matter. The team and the fans are still counting on you and you have to go out and perform. Barry has helped me so much with that.''

Reds minor leaguer Jesse Winker and some other members of the offseason workout group also have caught the boxing bug and made it part of their offseason training regimens. The only rule: No contact or sparring is permitted.

"I don't want them to hurt me,'' Larkin says, laughing.

"I'll say, 'Hey Dee, what happens if you feel like crap or you're fumbling the ball?' Or, 'Frankie, what do you do when you don't have confidence and first base feels like it's a mile away? How do you get through it?' We'll talk about those intangible things that make a difference in a player's approach.''

The regimen builds on the fundamental skills Lindor developed as a boy in Puerto Rico before he turned 12 and moved to Florida with his family. Lindor learned the virtues of anticipation when he stood halfway down a hill and fielded grounders from his father, Miguel. Missing a ball meant a long run to the bottom of the hill to retrieve it from the bushes.

After starring at Montverde Academy -- a private college preparatory school with a high-powered athletic program -- Lindor signed with Cleveland for a $2.9 million bonus as the eighth pick in the 2011 draft. He needed a mere 1,004 minor league at-bats to graduate to the majors.

Cleveland's veterans could have chafed over all the hype he received as a rookie, but they gave him a long leash because he was so diligent and committed. It sent a signal to manager Terry Francona and the coaching staff when they learned he was on a back field doing lunges and jumps with the team's strength and conditioning coach at 7:30 a.m.

"He has a boisterous personality, but he handled it the right way when he was first called up,'' Francona says. "The veteran guys bought into him, or you can't really act like that. They knew he cared about winning, so he was able to be himself more quickly, and it helped him. He didn't rub anybody the wrong way.''

With his luminous smile, precociousness and hypercompetitive approach, Lindor has a similar knack for charming the dean of B-Lark University each January. Every Friday, when the players break into teams for a simulated game, Larkin assumes the role of arbiter and determines which balls are hits or outs. Invariably, Larkin's judgment calls lead to good-natured complaints about nepotism on behalf of his two favorites, Lindor and Dee Gordon.

"For some reason, since I'm the veteran, I'm on one side, and Lindor and Dee play against me all the time,'' Gonzalez says. "I'll say to Barry, 'Of course I'm never going to win. I'm playing against your children.'''

AT AGE 22, Lindor scored 99 runs, made the All-Star team, finished ninth in American League Most Valuable Player voting and ranked eighth in the majors with a 6.3 FanGraphs WAR before putting up big numbers amid excruciating pressure in October.

Gonzalez, Lindor's fellow winter camper, turned a 2009 playoff breakthrough into a top-three MVP finish the next season. He thinks Lindor can follow the same path.

"He can do that easy,'' Gonzalez says. "What really impresses me is the way he thinks and approaches the game. He's so mature. He's what, 23 years old? And he plays the game like he's Carlos Beltran -- a 39-year-old guy with a lot of experience.

"He's had the blessing of playing important games in his career -- in the World Series and the finals of the World Baseball Classic -- and these games are only going to make him better. It's scary the things he can do in this game. If he stays on this path, he's a potential Hall of Famer.''

As Lindor's national profile ascends, he's developing an ardent following in his backyard. While LeBron James is the undisputed king of Cleveland sports, Lindor is arguably in a race with Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving for No. 2 in the hierarchy.

"What really impresses me is the way he thinks and approaches the game. He's so mature. He's what, 23 years old? And he plays the game like he's Carlos Beltran -- a 39-year-old guy with a lot of experience."
Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez on Francisco Lindor

His apparel is a hot commodity in the city. Last year he accounted for 30 percent of all player-related merchandise sales at Progressive Field and the Indians' team shop, with more than 1,500 jersey sales.

So far this year, Lindor continues to lead the way at a whopping 42 percent. That's no small feat given Cleveland's roster includes franchise favorites Corey Kluber, Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley, 2016 postseason sensation Andrew Miller and the new big dog on the block, Edwin Encarnacion.

Cleveland general manager Mike Chernoff's 6-year-old son, Brody, recently made waves during a radio interview when he blurted out (inaccurately, it appears) that the Indians are trying to sign Lindor to a seven-year contract extension. In hindsight, the biggest shocker might have come when little Brody singled out outfielder Tyler Naquin -- and not Lindor -- as his favorite Indians player.

Francona cites the most elementary reason of all in explaining Lindor's fan appeal.

"He just has fun playing baseball,'' Francona says. "I tell people, 'If I had his talent, I'd have fun too.'''

Francisco Lindor had a special gift made to thank Barry Larkin for helping take his game to another level. Courtesy of Barry Larkin

THE RELATIONSHIPS FORGED in Orlando each winter don't fade away in February. During the regular season, Papa Larkin sends out group text messages to Lindor, CarGo, the Gordon brothers, Darnell Sweeney, Jesse Winker and other camp attendees saying, "All right, boys. It's time to check in and let me know how it's going."

Each time Lindor reads one of those texts, he reflects on how fortunate he is to have a mentor like Larkin, who made it to Cooperstown with 86 percent of the vote in 2012.

"He's there every day with us, helping us,'' Lindor says. "It's just the mindset he gives us. There are no excuses. If you want to be a player like Larkin, you have to come out with the same attitude every day and not back down from any challenges. He's awesome. I'm going to be with him every offseason.''

As Larkin awaits the results from Cleveland, his mind occasionally wanders back to a moment during the offseason when he was the beneficiary of Lindor's thoughtfulness.

While the other B-Lark University attendees went their separate ways after a five-hour workout, Lindor beckoned Larkin to follow him to the parking lot at the Braves' Disney World complex. He opened the trunk of his car and tore off a plastic wrapper to reveal something shiny inside.

In addition to winning a Gold Glove in 2016, Lindor received a Platinum Glove as the league's top fielder overall. Shortly after the announcement, he asked a representative from Rawlings if the company could make a replica with the words "Thank You Lark'' engraved on the thumb side. Above the index and middle fingers, Lindor's signature and the words "You took my game to a different level'' were inscribed in his handwriting.

"He's a friend, and he's a brother,'' Lindor says. "He's done so much for me, and I'm a guy who doesn't forget.''

As Larkin looked on, astonished, his mind flashed back to a family interaction. A couple of years ago, he came home to find his beloved fishing boat missing. His wife, Lisa, told him it was in the shop for repairs. A few hours later his son, Shane (a former NBA guard who is now playing basketball in Spain), was standing outside next to a new Bass Ranger that he had just purchased.

To show his appreciation for Barry Larkin's help shaping his game, Francisco Lindor had a glove with 'Thank You Lark' engraved on it made this offseason. Courtesy of Barry Larkin

Many of the same emotions that Larkin felt in response to Shane's gesture welled up anew when Lindor handed him that glove.

"You talk about a kid who's appreciative,'' Larkin says. "You talk about a kid who thinks, who shows respect. That's who he is. He's a beautiful person. I love him as if he were my own son.''

It's a bit premature to anoint Lindor as Cooperstown-worthy, but Larkin sees the requisite elements in place. When a player is a boss on both sides of the ball, why think small?

"He plays with a joy that says, 'I'm not concerned with failing. I just want to put it all out on the field,''' Larkin says. "He's special. Hopefully in 10 years they'll be talking about him and say, 'Damn, he's still special. How about the numbers he's been able to amass over these 10 years, and he's stayed at shortstop, and he's still a good guy and still smiling.' God willing, that's what I expect to still be talking about.''

There is a really nice article written by Carlos Santana that you can find at Indians web site. I think he wants that extension.

Here it is:
http://m.indians.mlb.com/news/article/2 ... own-words/


Carlos Santana talks about his love for baseball and the city of Cleveland as well as the importance of being a husband, father and son

By Carlos Santana / Special to MLB.com |

CLEVELAND -- I play for the Cleveland Indians, but I am also a father, a husband and a friend. I am more than a baseball player.

I'm Carlos Santana. This is my story. Cleveland is my city.

Opening Day at home is something that every player dreams about, and every day I thank God I get to play in front of our awesome fans. There are high expectations this year, especially here in Cleveland since we are coming off a World Series, but it's something we embrace. We take on the challenge. We look forward to Opening Day. There's no other day like it in baseball, and I love it.


Listen, last year nobody thought this Cleveland team would make it that far, so it was really something wonderful to be a part of as we made the ride to the top. We can do it again. Disappointment? I don't think there was any disappointment after losing to the Cubs in the World Series, because I felt like a champion. Yes, we felt like champions, even though we didn't win it all. Crazy, right? We lost, but we still felt very grateful to God. And I think the main reason we felt like champions is because we fought until the end. We gave it everything we had. Somebody had to lose. We lost, but this town loved us the same as if we won. And we loved them right back.

That's why the Cleveland organization and the city means the world to me, and I thank God they gave me the opportunity to play in the Major Leagues. They were the ones who opened the doors. Cleveland, for me, has been the best. It's a place where people are always pushing forward and working hard, just like in the Dominican Republic, where I am from. We players work hard and give the maximum effort, because that's what the city deserves and that's how the people here work, too. I come from the bottom, a humble background, and it was a difficult childhood, so I understand. We are all hungry to work hard, to take care of our families and play every day. That's who we are.

Community matters to us. As players, we are gone a lot of the time on the road, and safety for my family is very important, so that's why one of the first things I did when I moved here was meet the police in the neighborhood. I introduced myself, told them our address, we talked baseball, and it was the beginning of a wonderful relationship. They've watched us grow as a family and me as a player.


When I say I am close to the police department, I am not exaggerating. We are so close that I remember returning from a road trip -- we sometimes get home at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. after road trips -- and at 11 a.m., the police show up to congratulate me on a good game the night before. I had hit two homers. It was a good night. I remember lying down in my bed, and the next thing you know, they are sitting on chairs in my bedroom talking baseball and life. It's funny now. Me in bed holding my child and two armed officers in full uniform just chatting like it was something normal you do all of the time. But it just shows how close we are to the police and to the communities here. We are brothers and sisters.

Another family member is Niko Lanzarotta. He is a young boy with cerebral palsy, and he is a very special person to me. I remember the day we met at Progressive Field. He called me over, and I gave him a ball. He asked me if I could sign it for him and if I could hit a home run for him. I said, "If you give me a hug," and he gave me a hug. I homered for him that game. Whenever I see him, I embrace him with so much love and respect. Niko is my best friend here in Cleveland and I'm so happy he is in my life.

I know I am a very lucky man. This city, this community and this organization mean so much to me. I don't know what the future holds, and I'm not going to allow myself to think about being a free agent. What I am going to think about is going to work, being a good citizen and taking care of my loved ones. That's who I am and what we do here in Cleveland.

Nice letter.

Just wondering why he wrote it.

I guess if you're looking for an extension, it's better to express yourself in the best possible light.

For a guy that speaks English as a second language, he might have had a little help with the wording and certainly with the composition and punctuation.

Reads too much like agent speak rather than Carlos himself.

CLEVELAND -- Francisco Lindor knows what Indians rookie Yandy Diaz is going through offensively. When Lindor was getting his first taste of the big leagues two years ago, the shortstop was hitting the ball hard, but running into a lot of tough luck.

Heading into Wednesday's game, Diaz had posted an average exit velocity of 94.6 mph on balls in play, ranking fifth-best in the Majors among players with at least 20 results, per Statcast™. Through seven games, though, the third baseman was sporting a .222 batting average with a .509 OPS.

"His at-bats have been really good, for the most part," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "Normally, when you use the whole field, you get rewarded. That hasn't necessarily happened with him yet. But, if he keeps swinging like he is, you'll see some numbers get better."

After being called up in 2015, Lindor hit .223 with a .568 OPS in 111 plate appearances before the All-Star break. The shortstop said he began to get caught up in trying to swing like the more veteran players on the team. When he went back to just being himself at the plate, he relaxed and saw the results follow.

Lindor has given the same advance to Diaz.

"We let him know that he doesn't have to be like me," Lindor said. "He does't have to be like [Tyler Naquin], [Michael Brantley], [Jason Kipnis], [Jose Ramirez]. He doesn't have to be like none of us. He's a very good hitter. He made the team hitting, and he's going to hit. He's got to continue to be himself and not try to be like anybody else. Just keep on swinging it."

Talk about being snake bitten, Ramirez has had his problems so far this year. He's lost a lot of hard hit balls that would have been hits last year. He's also lost quite a few very important rbi's during this past dry spell.

Use the whole field and good things will happen

Santana and Encarnacion should heed some very good advice from Francona. Ramirez, Lindor, Diaz, and Brantley have been excellent in this regard.

Tito: Indians' bats will come around vs. LHP

Francona attributes struggles against lefties to cold lineup, not systemic issue

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com

CLEVELAND -- Increased exposure to a specific type of pitcher is usually a good thing for an offense. That has not been the case for the Indians, who have seen more than their fair share of left-handed starters in the season's first two weeks.

In a 4-1 loss on Sunday afternoon, the latest lefty to carve up Cleveland's lineup was Detroit's Matthew Boyd. The southpaw spotted his fastball and kept the Tribe off-balance with a sharp changeup. That mix helped quiet an Indians offense that enjoyed a 13-run, 19-hit outburst less than 24 hours earlier.

"We've gotten opportunities," Indians outfielder Brandon Guyer said. "We've been in situations where we can get big runs on the board or tie it up or take the lead. We just haven't taken advantage of those situations. Sometimes, you've got to credit the pitcher. We're just not getting it done."

Specifically, Cleveland can credit the left-handed pitchers.

Twelve games into the season, the Indians have seen six lefty starters: Martin Perez, Cole Hamels, Patrick Corbin, Derek Holland, Daniel Norris and Boyd. Combined, that group has gone 4-1 with a 2.00 ERA against Cleveland. All four of those wins came via the most recent four left-handers, who held the Tribe to just one earned run over 24 innings.

Part of the issue is that Cleveland's lineup has yet to click on all cylinders as a whole. Slugger Edwin Encarnacion has yet to tap much into his power. Leadoff man Carlos Santana has labored of late. Catcher Yan Gomes has been in a funk since the season's outset. Guyer and Austin Jackson -- who play primarily against lefties -- have also been cold.

"It's different styles of pitchers," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "And I like our lineup against lefties. It's just the first [12] games of the year, we've seen six of them. When Guyer starts getting on track and doing some damage, things like that, it'll look different."

A year ago, Guyer hit .336 with a 1.021 OPS against lefties. After his 1-for-3 showing against Boyd on Sunday, the Indians' outfielder is now batting .158 with a .396 OPS through 19 at-bats. The sample size is small, but it helps explain why Cleveland headed into Sunday's action hitting . 206 (.627 OPS) against lefties this year.

In the sixth inning on Sunday, Boyd struck Guyer out with two outs and a runner on second, preserving Detroit's 2-1 lead.

"Personally, I've had a lot of situations, and I haven't gotten it done," Guyer said. "That's really frustrating."

Boyd nearly threw as many changeups (27) as four-seamers (31), highlighting one of Cleveland's weaknesses at the moment.

According to Statcast™, the Indians are batting .125 with a .125 slugging percentage against left-handed changeups this season. Entering Sunday, the Major League average was a .199 batting average and .313 slugging. The Indians went 1-for-6 against Boyd's changeup with a single, one strikeout, one flyout and three groundouts, including two inning-ending double plays.

Boyd did not show the Tribe the changeup in the first inning, but he fired it more often as the game wore on. He ended with one run allowed in six innings of work.

"I've got my game plan," Boyd said. "And you go into the game with your strengths. But, as the game goes on, you make adjustments as they make adjustments."

[ I guess ]

Watch out !!!!

JoeZ is going to go batshit.


http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/1910 ... -keith-law

Seagull ! There's a flip side to every coin. Lindor was a terrible example.

Joe

When you and I played baseball, they didn't have all these stats.

Point is, the probability of scoring 1 or more runs in an inning, goes down with a sacrifice bunt.

Most pitchers can't hit so I'm OK with a sac bunt. Other than that, swing away.

What are the Cleveland Indians' options if Yan Gomes can't turn it around? Going Deep


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to the second installment of Going Deep, a regular series in which we'll take a deep dive into a reader-proposed topic.

To have your question or comment covered (or, at least, to have it read), send an email to zmeisel@cleveland.com. Include your first name and city.

Do you see the Tribe looking at perhaps waiving or designating [Yan] Gomes? He looks lost and without hope at the plate. He seems to be overwhelmed by his failure to live up to his Silver Slugger Award, [which he won] seemingly last decade. He has the lowest average of any player not a pitcher over parts of three seasons. I think he might be done, at least here. With [Roberto] Perez also a poor hitter and for that matter perhaps the slowest afoot in the AL, will we sacrifice offense from the catcher spot? The body language and the long, loopy swing I see of Gomes looks like he will never hit again like he did three years ago. Your thoughts?

-- Jerry, Medina

In basketball, does a coach let an ice-cold shooter shoot his way out of a slump? What if the shooter has been frigid for two years?

At some point, Terry Francona has to swing the pendulum toward Roberto Perez, who isn't lethal at the plate, either, but hasn't struggled with his lumber to the degree that Gomes has since his sterling 2014 season.

Let's examine some of Gomes' numbers.

2017 stat line: .067/.152/.167 clip (2-for-30)

2016 stat line: .167/.201/.327 clip (42-for-251)

2015 stat line: .231/.267/.391 clip (84-for-363)

2014 stat line: .278/.313/.472 clip (135-for-485)

The 2014 campaign seems like the outlier now, but Gomes still should be expected to produce more than he has over the last two seasons plus 12 games. His body language screams that his confidence is shot, even if he contends that he's keeping his head above water.

2016 vs. righties: .127/.163/.282 clip

2016 vs. lefties: .271/.297/.443 clip

Against righties this season, Gomes is 1-for-25 with no walks and 10 strikeouts. He fared better in 2015.

2015 vs. righties: .240/.275/.427 clip

2015 vs. lefties: .208/.248/.297 clip

The Indians have two strong defensive catchers. No one is disputing that. But if a trip to Triple-A could solve some of Gomes' offensive woes or alleviate some pressure, maybe that wouldn't be such a poor decision. Gomes has a minor-league option remaining, and it was a point of discussion for the Indians last season when he couldn't get untracked at the plate.

At some point, change will occur. Either Gomes' output will return to a tolerable level, or he'll lose playing time to Roberto Perez. He still maintains one minor-league option, so he could even journey to Triple-A Columbus, if the Indians eventually deem that the most appropriate solution to his offensive woes.

The No. 9 spot in the Indians' lineup is a black hole. It was last year, too, and the Indians still reached the World Series. So the season certainly doesn't hinge on offensive output from the catching position. But it can't hurt to find a way to receive more.

A return to just an average output for Gomes won't vault the Indians' offense toward the top of the ranks. A return to normal production for Edwin Encarnacion and Carlos Santana and others, on the other hand, might.

More than anything, Gomes' profound struggles are a head-scratcher. How can a player suffer such an immediate, drastic fall? Was his 2014 season just a mirage?

Gomes posted a .290/.348/.483 slash line in the minors. When he joined the Indians in 2013, he batted .294 with an .826 OPS in 88 games, as he wrestled away the catching duties from Santana.

Lowest batting average since start of 2015, minimum 600 plate appearances:

1. Mike Zunino: .186

2. Yan Gomes: .199

3. Chris Iannetta: .201

Lowest on-base percentage since start of 2015, minimum 600 plate appearances:

1. Yan Gomes: .236

2. Omar Infante: .245

3. Mike Zunino: .258

Worst wRC+ (weighted runs created, an all-encompassing offensive measurement; 100 is league-average) since start of 2015, minimum 600 plate appearances:

1. Omar Infante: 46

2. Yan Gomes: 54

3. Nick Ahmed: 59

The Indians' current setup can't persist for the duration of the season if the results don't change. Will that mean a trip to Columbus for Gomes? Or will he just take a backseat to Perez?

Yes, The Infield Shift Works. Probably.

The infield shift is this decade’s defining baseball tactic, the most salient on-field signal that we aren’t in the aughts anymore. But, strange as it sounds, we still don’t know how well — or even whether — the shift actually works.

Our best evidence that the shift is worth doing is, well, that it’s so frequently done. Presumably, front offices wouldn’t advocate shifting — often over the objections of coaches and players — unless they thought it was wise. That’s not nothing; teams are stocked with smart people who have access to better data than we do. But it would be nice not to have to appeal to authority to make a case for the shift. (After all, until recently you could have argued against the shift by pointing out that almost nobody was using it.)

Unfortunately, corroborating evidence is hard to come by. Despite a 1,223 percent increase in the use of shifts since 2011,
1 the league wide batting average on balls in play has increased, from .294 to .300.
2 Even the league wide batting average on ground balls is up, from .228 to .242.
Granted, the league’s batting average on pulled grounders is down from .199 to .183, but on opposite-field grounders — which can slip through holes that the shift creates —that number is way up, from .255 to .379. The net result is more hits, despite all those wacky infield rearrangements.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/ye ... -probably/

[ Hard to find data after 2014. ]

on opposite-field grounders — which can slip through holes that the shift creates —that number is way up, from .255 to .379.

It works pretty well for the opposition but not so well for the good guys.